whiskywizard

I've slept on enough rock in my life to think this is a pretty cool idea. How much are they?

You could have kept that between just you and me. Nobody else needed to know.

That's so true Cliff. I have the same 3 piles. They have different names, but it's the same 3 piles. I call them Urgent, Important, and Urgent & Important. If something isn't important, consider not doing it. Ever. Sometimes when I'm especially busy, only the Urgent & Important pile gets any attention. And every once in a while I'll stop doing something, just to see if anybody notices or cares. Sometimes we think something is important, but it's not really. One day I'd like to figure out how everything my wife wants done is always both Urgent & Important.

Handheld VHFs are going to cost you more and have less range. VHF is line-of-sight and limited power. The highest output for handheld VHFs is 1 W on low and 5 W on high. A few models made for the US market will go to 7W on high. So only good for a few kilometres and less if there are obstructions. And you have to have a licence (Restricted Radio Operator's Certificate - Marine) The better GMRS/FRS units will get you >10km and occasionally double that, for less money with longer battery life and no licence. Cobra offers more features/dollar. They are the "JVC of hand-held radios". Motorola is still the quality king but each year dips lower and lower on quality and commands a higher price. I suggest you set your budget and then pick the best GMRS/FRS radio that keeps you in budget. I have 2 pr of Cobra microTALK® CXT90 18-Mile radios, with desk-top chargers. I found them online for $50 for a pair, with rechargable batteries. They consistently work well at 10km range.

The store in Oshawa has been open for a few months now. Very nice store. Not always the cheapest but selection is very good and service is excellent. Decent return policy too.

What a pleasant thought! Thanks for the brief daydream there.

I thought one was a type of bait and the other was a type of lawyer, no?

Yes - very effective.

I go past there regularly on the way to WYC. The access to the ramp and parking area is still closed and locked. The harbour is open water.

Normally I'd be happy waiting for Mother Nature to run her course, but this year I'm dying to get out on Sturgeon open water. Spring can come any time now!

Agreed - those points are critical. Another one that has helped me is to not rely on email/text. I insist on a phone discussion. A few minutes talking to someone will reveal how flaky they are and you can decide how badly you want to deal with them. With respect to taking a deposit, I will gladly accept a deposit, as long as it's for 100% of the agreed sale price.

I'm curious to hear what people here think is the right solution. For some years, the in-water electric barrier in the Chicago sanitation and shipping canal was seen as the final barrier. That never was true; the Illinois River watershed finds its way to Lake Michigan in many, many different ways. Little streams and drainage ditches, and lots of the those completely bypass the Chicago canal.

LOL!

Welcome from another Newbie. Nice pics - looks like I could get a lesson or two from you.

Yes - neighbours. We're South of you and Cliff, about 2.2NM south of Cliff's dock. Watch for the boat with the newly applied name on it - The Nagler

I've done it before. If the boat model has much interior furniture, consoles, etc, the floor is more effort than the transom, however the transom work is more critical to the final function and safety of the boat. Mine was a Sea Nymph FM161. Mid-70s vintage. I didn't use marine grade plywood, but I was careful to completely encapsulate and seal the new transom, including through-hulls and all holes I drilled for fasteners. In my case I used 3 sheets of plywood sandwiched together; I think it was 3/4"-1/2"-3/4". That gave me the same thickness that was there previously. I made a stiff cardboard template from the transom hole and used that to cut the plywood. I cut each one separately and slightly over-sized. Then I laminated all three together with West System epoxy. be sure to sand the faces first with coarse paper and a RO sander. Using a belt sander, I took the perimiter edge of "plywood sandwich" down to the exact dimensions of my template, checking for a good dry-fit in the boat a few times as as I sanded. Then I "painted" the entire new transom with West System, 2 coats, all surfaces. On the Sea Nymph, I was able to leave the aluminium transom hull skin in place when I removed the old plywood. Once the new transom wood was a good fit, I cleaned the back side of the aluminium and the hull where it would contact the edges of the plywood. Scuffed everything with coarse sandpaper, and scuffed the transom's aft face, and glued the plywood in using more West System epoxy thickened with cabosil. After that, it was a matter of reinstalling throughhull scuppers, transducer board, fixture screws, etc. For each one, I installed the fastener with marine polyurethane caulking to prevent water instrusion in future. I painted the inside of the new transom with paint. This was to protect the West System from UV. It's been more than a few years - I think I remembered the important bits. The floor is similar, and the most important thing is sealing it properly. Anything you do will be better than what the factory did!

This LINK shows the levels in the Trent-Severn, and more importantly, in the watersheds that feed the T-S. Look at Burnt River, Nogies, and Gull River watersheds. They are well above historic lows, with some nearer to the historic high mark. With some luck, we should see normal levels or higher.

This chart shows Lake Ontario levels. The black line shows 2011 data. The blue trend is 2012. So far this year, levels are higher than the same time last year.

Normally, a manufacturer doesn't properly lay-up an engine before it's sold. They don't plan on the equipment sitting un-used for years. Often, they are not even test-run first. The only Jiffy I'm familiar with has a Techumseth 2-cycle engine. If your's is the same, I'd suggest that you not fuel it up. If you do, you'll have to drain the tank and carb. Instead, I'd pull out the spark plug and fog it. Pull it over a few times gently and re-install the plug.

Yup - you're right Cliff. Don't know how I missed that!

Great song. Never heard the Metallica version before . Thanks.

Hey! My mother said I was special.

They're all good. And everybody knows that good whisky cures all illnesses. Of the Highlands, hard to pick a favourite. Highland Park is one. Also Glen Rothes. Of the Islays, my favourite might be Laphroiag. Maybe Ardbeg 21 year old. Or maybe Bunnahabhain. Of the Lowlands, it's definitely Rosebank. I can't be the only guy here who like whisky, can I?

Thanks everybody. Very gracious bunch here! The name Whiskywizard comes from something I love; single malt Scotch whisky. It seems to go well with a warm ice fishing hut too.

Cliff and Simon seemed like normal, decent guys, so I'm gonna assume this means pics of the fish we catch... (thanks for the warm welcome. I look forward to a face-to-face handshake)